


Friends Will Be Friends

by OrnateDragon



Category: Cricket RPF
Genre: Long Distance Relationships, M/M, Test Match of the summer, apparently, can you sneak into an isolation bubble, even if you're cricketing famous, great minds think alike, jos' batting, too early to propose?, zak's superb batting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 09:40:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27848682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrnateDragon/pseuds/OrnateDragon
Summary: Joe and Dom S sneak someone into the isolation bubble during the final Test against Pakistan, as reward for Zak's superb batting.  Plus someone else sneaks in too!
Relationships: Zak Crawley/Kane Williamson
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	Friends Will Be Friends

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sherlockguineapig](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlockguineapig/gifts).



> Inspired by Discord discussions with @sherlockguineapig, this is a side story featuring Zak Crawley and his amazing double century, when friends getting married makes you think of the possibilities within your own relationship even when the relationship is new! 
> 
> Plus a teaser for a future story!

The dressing room had been tense since lunch, as Zak’s score slowly climbed. To tell the truth, thought Dom S, it had been tense all day, with nobody wanting to move at all while Jos was in the 90s. He did wonder what it looked like from outside at that point, since everyone seemed to be looking anywhere but out at the middle whenever Jos was on strike.

The gasps when Jos had been given out on 99 seemed to echo around the room, and Joe was looking like he might be sick, barely able to pay attention to the immediate review from Jos. The relief when the review went in England’s favour was brief, swamped by loud cheers as the very next ball Jos went to his first century in two years. Joe emerged from his hiding spot behind the balcony door frame, his emotions almost swamping him as they clapped for Jos, and took the tissues Broady handed him with a wet laugh as they returned to their seats.

A small murmur broke out, remarking on the way both Jos and Zak were playing, and the fact that the Pakistani bowlers didn’t seem as threatening today. Dom gripped his hands together, watching Zak as he left another ball, silently pleading that Zak could make 200. His 100 yesterday had been something to be proud of, measured and steady, but Dom knew Zak had wanted to celebrate by cuddling with his boyfriend despite the phone call he’d slipped off to take just after dinner. He had been smiling after the call, but still wistful as he watched Joe and Jos, and Rory and Ollie, cuddling.

An idea came to Dom as Zak passed 180, and he leant over to Joe, who had mostly composed himself after watching his fiancé to 100 and was enjoying watching Jos (and Zak) power onwards.

“Joe? What are the options for getting someone into the bubble tonight?” Joe tilted his head in slight confusion, before motioning towards the crease.

“For… ?” As Dom nodded, Joe grinned. “Bet we can do it, let me have a word with Chris, get hold of my phone. You speak to reception as soon as I give you the go-ahead, see if you can get another key card for Zak’s room. Got to keep it quiet though, make it a well-deserved surprise!”

The thumbs-up Joe gave Dom 10 minutes later as he slipped back in from the coaches’ room was received with a grin, obviously Chris Silverwood was the last one still not immune to Joe’s puppy-dog eyes, and had let him contact Kane. Dom slipped out of the dressing room and into his own room to ring down to reception. Joe had said as they crossed paths that Kane would be arriving around 7pm and that he knew Zak’s room number, so Dom arranged for a second key card for Zak’s room to be waiting for Kane when he arrived.

Zak reached his 200, with cheers from the balcony and a semi-awkward handshake-merging-into-a-hug from Jos. The smiles on both their faces made Dom sure that planning a visit from Zak’s boyfriend was a good idea, especially since Joe would no doubt be disappearing himself & Jos for a romantic private meal tonight to celebrate Jos’s century and finding his batting strides again.

Zak deserved this, all the praise, he was sure to have a place in the Test side from now on. Dom wasn’t sure he and Rory were quite as assured of their places, but he was pleased for and proud of Zak regardless.

Hearts were in mouths as the boundary fielder just missed reaching the ball and it went over the rope for Zak’s first 6, moving him to a beautifully hit 220. Jos was playing a supporting role now, watching from the other end as Zak built to a lovely 250, his maiden 250.

Sadly, Zak stepped too far outside the crease just 15 minutes before tea, and Rizwan stumped him for 267. But everybody cheered and clapped including the fielders and the opposition balcony, all the Pakistani fielders ran up to offer him fist bumps, and the smile on his face as he walked off the field and up the steps was beaming wide.

Tea came, and Jos was on 140 and looking set for 150+, Dom was sure that Jos would be having the night of his life tonight, as soon as Joe could get them both away from the well-wishers, and nobody in the dressing room would begrudge them that time together in celebration, they’d all been there worrying about their batting as Jos had been, as Joe had been worrying about Jos’s confidence and the media attacks.

As Dom sat back down in the dressing room to watch Jos and Chris continue, Zak, freshly showered and wearing his training gear, dropped into the seat next to him and sighed happily. Dom was really pleased for his friend, knowing that Zak had been a little worried about his batting, not wanting to let the team, let Joe down.

“Well batted Zaky, that was brilliant!” Dom slung an arm around Zak’s shoulders, which was always easier to do when the taller batsman was sitting rather than standing, and Zak’s shy smile bloomed again. He ducked his head, murmuring his thanks as Chris Woakes got off the mark with a single.

***

Jos makes his 150, but gets out on 152, a sloppy chip back for Alam to catch off his own bowling. Still, he’d made a nice score, most likely cemented his place as keeper/batsman in the Test side, and everyone clapped him into the dressing room. Out of sight of the cameras, Joe drags him into a clinging hug, kisses pressed tightly against Jos’s lips. Dom, like everyone else, pretends it’s not happening, letting the captain and his fiancé have their moment in peace if not full-on privacy.

Bessie has joined Chris out in the middle, and they build the score steadily to 541. Then, Azhar Ali goes off injured, and the sub fielder flings the ball back at the keeper the very next ball, and Rizwan looks to be in considerable pain. Drinks are taken, while the physio treats Rizwan’s hand.

Then Chris gets out, with the score on 547, and Broady goes out to slap the ball around with Bessie. The score reaches 557, and Bessie is almost caught on 12, but it’s a drop, the first drop of the match. Broady makes it to 15, before he’s bowled, and Joe declares with the score on 583 – 8, Bessie finishing not out on 27.

***

The Pakistan opening batsmen come out to start their first innings, and Broady almost has a wicket in the first over! But Masood reviews it and the decision is overturned. It doesn’t matter, because Jimmy gets him out in his first over, quickly followed by the wicket of Abid Ali taking Pakistan to 11 - 2, caught by Dom himself, and Jimmy’s on a roll, only 5 wickets till his 600.

Azhar Ali, despite his earlier hand injury, seems to be settling in well, and Babar Azam does too. And the Pakistan score ticks slowly along.

Joe and Jos are smiling broadly now, and there’s quite a bit more chat around the wicket than during England’s innings. England, after Jos and Zak’s wonderful batting, are on a high, and given they’re 1-0 up in the series with the second Test drawn due to the weather, they are kind of expecting to win this match too. Nobody’s saying that yet though, superstitious natures being so rife in this sport, but if they can get another wicket before stumps, it bodes well.

Jof’s quite a lot quicker in this match than the last he played, so there’s promise there, and Jimmy is evergreen and a bowling legend, so Dom thinks this will be good.

There’s a shout from behind the stumps, Jos thinks he’s taken a catch off Azhar, but the umpire says no. Joe reviews, on Jos’s insistence (all the slips went up as well, though Jof says he didn’t hear anything), but the decision is upheld, and England lose the review.

Then it’s Jimmy running in again, and Babar Azam has to go, leaving Pakistan on 24 – 3, and Jimmy needing 4 more wickets for his 600. The umpire calls stumps, and it’s a job well done for England, Dom thinks, special mention to Jos and Zak.

***

During the after matches talks with the media for Jos and Zak, Dom runs up to Zak’s room. Apparently Joe had organised with Kane to sort out an outfit for Zak to put on, so Dom knocks lightly on the door. Kane answers, and hands over a carrier bag, with a smile and a knowing wink.

Dom can’t help thinking, as he grins at Kane through the slowly closing door and sets off back to the dressing room, that this feels almost like some kind of spy or thriller movie. He realises he’s humming the James Bond theme, shakes his head lightly at himself in silent amusement, and can’t help chuckling out loud as he catches sight of scruffy black hair and an Essex training top furtively unlocking Jimmy’s room.

The sheepish smile on Cooky’s face when he realises he’s been spotted soon dissolves into soft chuckles, as Dom tells him that Zak was having a surprise secret visitor tonight as well. Cooky admits he hadn’t told anyone that he was coming, least of all Jimmy or Joe, but that he needed to come, to be with Jimmy so close to a special bowling landmark, so Dom encourages (read: insists, verbally pulls at Cooky’s sleeve) him down to the dressing room.

Dom leaves Cooky just outside the dressing room, with the door cracked open so he can hear Joe’s speech to the team, and slips inside. Joe catches his eye and winks as he launches into his latest high praise for Jos, and Zak, and Jimmy’s bowling, and Dom grins as he drops the carrier bag unnoticed into Zak’s cubby next to his. After the speech, and the photos for social media, beers are handed round and Zak heads for his cubby. Dom leans over and quietly tells Zak to shower quickly, change into the outfit in the bag and then come find Dom afterwards. Zak looks puzzled, but Dom just pats his arm with a grin, and then heads for Joe (and Jos, never too far away from Joe at any given point, especially not today given the pride that Joe was exuding over Jos’s batting) and Jimmy.

He inveigles them slowly towards the door with lots of pauses for Jos (and Joe) to receive congratulations and pats on the back, where they meet Colly just coming in, with raised eyebrows. The eyebrows relax and Colly grins, as he realises who Dom is herding to the door, to the former captain lurking outside. He helps by asking the trio for a quick word outside, and they agree. Dom leaves them in Colly’s capable hands with a nod of thanks, he doesn’t need to be there for this, he has a very important task on his hands now, and turns back to look for Zak.

Somehow, he’s got to convince Zak to head up to his room soon, before Kane starts worrying. Luckily, Zak has indeed showered, and is halfway through dressing, chatting to Rory (and Ollie). Dom stands for a moment, appreciating Zak’s lithe figure in nothing but black skinny jeans, a forest green shirt in his hands ready to be put on.

He knows Zak’s taken, doubts Zak’s entirely his type anyway (a face pops up in his mind, quite different to Zak even if they’re pretty much the same age), but there’s no harm in looking, even if he’s not quite sure if he’s fully interested in blokes (despite the fact that a particular Somerset batsman keeps featuring in his thoughts and dreams).

***

Zak is very confused, as he heads to his cubby to dress after his quick shower. Dom S seems to be up to something, he’d been exchanging nods, grins and winks with Joe most of the afternoon, and now with the ordering Zak to shower and dress? Very suspicious, decides Zak, pulling his favourite black skinny jeans from the carrier bag. Hang on, these were in his wardrobe this morning, he distinctly remembers that, how did Dom get hold of them? He doesn’t remember packing his dress shoes either, to come into the bubble, but there they are in the bag. And where did this green shirt come from, it’s not his, he knows that. But, Kane did say he liked Zak in green once, and just the thought of Kane makes Zak blush lightly, looking at the clothing in his hands without really seeing it, and wishing he could see Kane tonight to celebrate his double ton instead of just talking on the phone like yesterday.

Rory, cuddling with Ollie a couple of cubbies along from Zak, catches Zak’s attention with congratulations on his batting, and Zak is pulled from his thoughts into a stroke-play discussion. He’s enjoying himself, and Dom appearing beside him startles him a little.

“Come on Zak, hurry up and finish getting dressed!” Dom’s grinning broadly, and there’s a slightly manic look in his eyes that Zak’s only ever seen before from Joe and Mark when they are planning pranks. It worries Zak a little, but he obeys Dom, tugging on the shirt, and fishing socks and shoes out of the bottom of the bag.

Just as Zak finishes lacing his left shoe, Joe comes bursting back into the dressing room, beaming, dragging Alistair Cook, _Sir Alistair Cook_ , in behind him, with Jos and Jimmy right behind them smiling. There’s a flurry of cheers and hugs from the lads who know Cooky, before the former captain is standing in front of Zak, offering congratulations and a handshake. Zak can’t quite believe it, Sir Alistair Cook is complimenting his batting, and Zak suddenly feels shy again. He and Cooky and Rory have a brief chat about batting, before Cooky says “Well, I’d better let you go, Zak, well batted today!” He nods and smiles at Dom to Zak’s right, clapping his shoulder before turning away to Jimmy, and Zak is confused again. Cooky made it sound like there was somewhere Zak needed to be going, but other than the possibility of a call from Kane, Zak’s facing yet another quiet night in the hotel.

Dom’s grinning mischieviously again, and Zak squints at him suspiciously. Although Dom’s two years older, Zak had instinctively gravitated toward his quiet demeanour after first joining the Test team, feeling nervous and like he didn’t quite fit in around the noise created by Sam and Ollie, who had quickly dragged Dom Bess into their mischief. The friendship had been pretty much immediate, on both sides, and now Zak and Dom used cubbies next to each other in various changing rooms, sat together on group travels, spent time together after meals and on rest days and rain delays comfortably.

Dom’s one of the quieter lads in the side, not known particularly for playing pranks, but he’s acting strange today, and starts tugging Zak by the arm when Joe looks at them and jerks his head towards the door. Zak stumbles slightly as they head out of the dressing room, and Dom tugs his arm again, hurrying them towards the lift.

“What’s going on, Dom?” Zak can’t stop the quiet question that comes out as they take the lift to the floor that has the team bedrooms on, and he cringes slightly as his voice wavers, nerves apparent. Dom just lightly shoulder bumps him, the manic grin replaced by a truer sweeter smile.

“Joe and I thought you deserved a treat tonight, you’ve had a wonderful day of batting, potentially booked us the win, and so we’ve organised something special for you!”

The lift pings, announcing their arrival, and Dom pushes Zak out into the corridor. They arrive outside Zak’s room, at the same time as a member of the hotel staff who is bringing a room service cart to a stop. The cart is obviously full, but covered with a white table cloth that almost touches the floor, and Zak is even more confused now. Why is there a full room service cart outside his room, and what is going on?

Dom turns from thanking the waitress, taking hold of the handle of the cart, and gestures at Zak to unlock the door to his room. Zak does so without question, still wondering what’s going on, and starts to walk in, holding the door as he goes for Dom to wheel the cart in. The front wheels of the cart have only just rolled into the room when Zak realises there’s someone sitting in the armchair by the window, and he stops dead in his tracks. Dom laughs quietly to himself, as he nudges the cart past Zak to the table, admiring the stunned look of realisation on Zak’s face as he pats the batsman’s shoulder on the way back past, and hurries away, he has no wish to hang around for what’s about to happen in that room.

***

Zak barely registers Dom closing the door firmly behind him, is still stood gaping, can’t quite believe the image that’s right in front of his eyes. Kane is rising from the armchair, dusty blue shirt accentuating his figure and highlighting his blue eyes, and Zak pinches himself on the forearm, hard. It hurts and he winces, but is rewarded by a soft laugh and a beaming smile from his boyfriend. This is definitely not a dream then, and Zak makes a mental note to hug Dom extra tight in the morning, this is obviously what he and Joe had been plotting earlier, and Zak’s so very grateful to them both.

Kane steps closer, and Zak almost tumbles into his arms, burying his face into Kane’s blond hair and squeezing his eyes tight shut as he feels tears start to build. He’s missed Kane so much, it had been so long since they’d seen each other before the very short week they spent together between the Windies series and this one, and phone calls can only go so far, even though they’re used to Face-timing each other between training sessions and matches at odd times and in far flung places. To have Kane here in his arms after the day he’s had, Zak thinks Kane would understand the reason behind the tears but he doesn't want to give in to them.

They’ve only been together just under a year, and Zak knows there’s quite an age gap between them, never mind the actual distance most of the time, but he really thinks Kane is it for him. He’s properly fallen for Kane, and even though their jobs usually keep them apart, he can’t think of anyone that makes him happier than Kane does. He thinks of the little box hiding in his suitcase, the possibilities, the hopes and dreams he hasn’t dared speak aloud to anyone, and can’t help the small sniffle that escapes him as Kane leans back slightly to cup his jaw with one hand.

They kiss softly, at first, before Kane deepens it, until they’re both breathing heavily when they part lips again. Kane turns a little in Zak’s arms, reaching for the already filled champagne flutes that Zak hadn’t seen on the table, handing Zak one and raising his own to toast Zak.

“That was some amazing batting cheri, I’m so proud of you. It was beautiful to watch, and you’re only going to get better. Part of me wants to beg you not to play like that against the Blackcaps though, simply because I know you’d absolutely destroy our bowling!” Kane laughs softly, pressing in again to kiss Zak, wondering to himself when this cute young English batsman had nestled so tightly into his heart.

It’s been less than a year since Kane first saw Zak at that match at Hagley Oval, and felt his heart leap for the first time in years, and yet Kane can’t imagine not having Zak in his life. He thinks of the small box, lurking in the side pocket of his overnight bag nestled beside Zak’s wardrobe, the possibilities, the hopes and dreams that he thinks Mac knows about despite Kane’s not mentioning them out loud, and wonders (as he did on the beach after that Super-over) whether it’s too soon, whether Zak might be too young to be ready to commit to what Kane wants.

He pushes back those thoughts with more kisses in between sips of champagne for them both, revelling in the chance to spend time together, and the words of praise for Zak’s batting that Kane can’t help murmuring into the younger man’s jawline.

***

Kane refills their flutes eventually, before guiding Zak to sit at the small table and whipping the cover off the room service cart. Luckily, the plates and food were still hot, and Kane carefully placed them on the table, lifting off two of the four covers to reveal the meal he’d chosen, hoping it would meet with Zak’s approval. Zak’s eyes sparkled as he grinned up at Kane.

“Recreating our last meal in NZ, then?” He laughed, admiring the perfectly grilled steak, sweet potato fries and green beans arranged on each plate, with blue cheese sauce drizzled artistically over the top. Kane smiled back, shrugging slightly as he took his seat.

“A special meal for a special man, after a special batting performance?” Kane admires the light blush that washed over Zak’s cheeks, curling his ankle around Zak’s under the table and picking up his cutlery. Their conversation died down as they ate, enjoying the food in between gazing into each others’ eyes.

The main course is followed by a beautifully presented apple pie slice each with fresh Cornish cream, which absolutely melts in their mouths. The noises that Zak makes as he savours each bite remind Kane of the noises he can get Zak to make, and he thinks to himself ‘Never mind the coffee, he wants Zak under him on the bed as soon as possible’.

***

Zak almost bowls Dom over with a hug when the younger man joins the rest of the team after breakfast, having left Kane ensconced in the armchair by the window of Zak's room, where the Kiwi captain could see the match but (hopefully) not be seen by anyone else. Dom chuckles softly as he returns the hug, obviously he and Joe had made exactly the right decision sneaking Kane into the bubble. Seeing Zak and Kane together was heart-warming for everyone, the love the two shared obvious in the way they looked at each other, spoke about each other. 

Dom hoped he could have that one day, as yet again _that face_ appears in his thoughts. Unwillingly, Dom's thoughts turn to the group chat that the Test and ODI squads were both on, the messages that he and a certain batsman had shared late one night when neither of them could sleep, messages that Dom didn't quite dare hope suggested a shared interest in each other. 


End file.
